Economic Policies of the New Independent Trade Unions: Domains of Interest and Premises of Choice

Abstract

The basic dilemma of the new independent trade unions in Poland, 'Solidarity' included, concerns under which conditions the unions should participate in economic decision-making. Consideration of the place of the new unions in the socio-economic system leads to the conclusion that their domain is distribution rather than production. From this conclusion several specific policy recommendations follow. This discussion is preceded by: i) an analysis of the economic poliçies which resulted in mass strikes in summer 1980. ii) an analysis of the official economic policy in the later period, pointing out the necessity of a moratorium on foreign debts as a precondition of successful restoration of the economy iii) an outline of the economic conversion iv) an analysis of the unions' policy regarding pricing of food products. The policy recommendations cover the general direction of economic reforms, preferably relations between the unions and the existing economic institutions, and the role of self-government in economy.